‘Knives, bats, glass bottles, they use everything’: teen’s emotional plea to end Gold Coast violence

Teens fed up at the spate of youth violence gripping Gold Coast streets are crying out for calm after another life was taken over the weekend.

Memorial for murder victim Jack Beasley including flowers, jerseys, and beers. Photographer: Liam Kidston

TEENS fed up at the spate of youth violence gripping Gold Coast streets are crying out for calm after another life was taken over the weekend.

Parkwood teenager Jack Beasley, 17, was out with friends when he was allegedly fatally stabbed on Surfers Paradise Blvd about Friday evening.

The latest fatality has prompted Jacob Garner, an acquaintance of Mr Beasley, to speak out.

Having lost a close friend to a sudden heart attack last week and watched another bashed over the weekend, Mr Garner, 16, made a social media plea for peace that has now been seen by thousands.

“What is the Gold Coast becoming? Every weekend now you hear of a kid getting bash or a kid getting rolled,” Mr Garner wrote.

“Honestly it needs to stop, we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and some kids want to treat it like it’s a ghetto and act like they’re gangsters just to feel like they have it over other kids.

BOY CHARGED WITH JACK BEASLEY’S MURDER

A teenager has posted an emotional plea to Facebook calling on his peers to stop the violence, following the death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley.

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“Just because you bash a kid with all your ‘boys’ doesn’t make you tough, it makes you even more of a dropkick and dickhead, kids can’t even go out without having kids show up to parties just to try start a fight, if you see one of your mates getting bashed.

“I’m over seeing so many teens lives getting taken.”

According to Queensland Police data there was more than one assault recorded each day in Surfers Paradise with a total of 413 in the past year.

Speaking with the Bulletin, Mr Garner, a student at Palm Beach Currumbin State High said he and others were regularly in fear of their safety.

“It is just becoming a dangerous place to be honest with you, on nights out not many people feel safe.

‘FANTASTIC KID, LOVED BY ALL’: TRIBUTES FLOW FOR JACK

Flowers, hand written notes and other items left by the friends of murder victim Jack Beasley at the scene of the tragedy outside the Surfers Paradise IGA. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

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“My friend was bashed by a group of 20 kids on the same night Jack died, people just watch now because they are afraid of getting hurt themselves.

“I knew of Jack, but I didn’t know him personally – it’s just ridiculous that people need to keep losing friends when we are still at school.

“I know what it’s like to lose a friend. Last week I lost a close mate and seeing another young life lost to something that could be so easily prevented just really annoyed me.”

Mr Garner said it was not unusual to hear of teens carrying knives.

“Knives, bats, glass bottles, they use everything. They just carry it to have power over the others.

“Life is precious, this sort of thing shouldn't be happening.”

Mr Garner’s post received more than 300 comments in support of his statement with many sharing similar stories.